The State of the Union: Is the EU steering down the right path?

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"Making our imperfect union ever more perfect": that was the stated aim of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, as he delivered his final State of the Union address to MEPs on September 12. Amid his pledges were plans for an additional 10,000 European border guards; boosting the EU's standing as a foreign policy power; cracking down on money laundering; bringing in new laws against election manipulation - and much more.
After Juncker laid out his vision for his final year in the job - and the long-term future of the EU - we’re asking whether he hit the right notes, and in which direction Europe is heading.
Produced by Isabelle Romero, Anaïs Guérard and Mathilde Bénézet.

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[damienpeladan]

I have to say, I find the democratic process within the EU quite interesting. It is really unique, and as the Polish politician pointed out, has many quirks, but it is something you won't see anywhere else on the planet where 27 sovereign nations, most of which have their own language and point of view, come together to work for their mutual benefit. It is quite something to behold. No wonder it is this complex. I do hope someday we could be part of the United States of Europe and be able to forge our own path, without having to be the puppets of the likes of Trump, Putin or Xi Jingping.

[jonathaneddy]

The incredible tone-deafness of the panel is astonishing. Blaming nationalism or national governments (ergo the Council) for preventing the EU from doing a 'better' job is to ignore the substance of the criticism (or rejection) of the EU.

People are frustrated with the EU not because it is a bad idea (it is a brilliant idea) but when the electorate have no control over legislation, or even electing it's key personnel then the people will inevitably find it 'detached' or 'bureaucratic' (ie. undemocratic). It is not irrational to come to this conclusion, history is replete with examples of peoples rejecting governance without a mandate.

If this panel is representative of the EU political mindset (I think it is as I've heard these same arguments repeatedly for the last decade), then I have little hope for the EU.

The UK leaving the EU is just a sad manifestation of the inability of the EU political mindset from stepping outside of it's own comfort zone and actually listen to what people are telling it.

They may believe they are doing the right thing, they may even be right, but without a clear mandate it is irrelevant to the people who are governed through Brussels.

[hcwcars]

Send all the migrants to Paris the French love refugees and asylum seekers

[eojxjqu]

You are the loonie-tune's of our EUROPEAN MEDIA. 😱

[akbarallardfreichmann]

Europe Unite. Proud to be European and member of the EU. Work together. Have each others back.

[nancyreid]

this presenter is all about the eu that's fine but what about culture in member States. none of us want to lose our cultures. no respect is giving to individual country s.